ANC statement on the handover of the Chairmanship of the meeting of the Former Liberation Movement (FLM) six sister parties from Zanu PF to the ANC

20 March 2024

The African National Congress (ANC) through the Secretary General Cde Fikile Mbalula, assumed the responsibility of Chair of the FLM Secretaries General, taking over from ZANIJ PF Secretary General Dr O.M. Mpofu on 18th March 2024.

The meeting was attended by:

Secretary General of ZANIJ PF and Chairman of the Liberation Movements accompanied by members of the ZANIJ PF Politburo;
Secretary General of the ANC — Cde Fikile Mbalula;
Secretary General of CCM — Dr Emmanuel John Nchimbi;
Secretary General of FRELIMO — Cde Roque Silva Samuel;
Secretary General of MPLA — Cde Paulo Pombolo;
Secretary General of SWAPO Party — Cde Sophia N. Shaningwa;
Secretary General of BDP — Cde Kavis Kario;
- And the Secretaries General of the various, Veterans, Women's, and Youth Leagues.

The regular meeting of the Former Liberation Movements has been interrupted by a number of factors, including the onset of the COVID Pandemic in 2020. The meeting noted that the COVID period posed serious challenges for the African continent and that it was through the solidarity of countries such as China and India who availed vaccines, that some countries were able to confront the health demands osed by the pandemic. Of course, there also vaccines procured from other parts of the world.

The meeting re-iterated the importance of the platform of the FLM as pivotal to the success of the revolutionary agenda to defend the gains of our liberation against neo-colonialism. It was against this backdrop that the proposition arose of our characterisation of the struggle as ongoing liberation movements as opposed to former liberation movements, which speaks to the resurgence of the motive forces for colonial oppression through neo-colonialism.

The FLM remains a crucial platform to advance the consolidation of a progressive front in the southern Africa region and the continent as a whole, more so as counter-revolutionary forces seek to divide and fragment the progressive front through splinter political forces, including funding NGOs as fronts to achieve such ends.

Therefore, the counter-revolutionary agenda continues to rear its ugly head, through the support of various political opposition parties meant to fragment the popular electoral support of the FLM. The aim of these forces is to halt the advance of the revolution and keep the African continent as a supplier of natural resources to enrich the western world as it has been during the era of slavery and colonial conquest.

Neo-colonialism considers the FLM as a main threat, hence the agenda to destabilise our unity by utilising elaborate processes interwoven with every sphere our nationhood, to capture the minds of our people and array them against the FLMs.

As we approach the National and Provincial elections, we are confident that the neo-colonial forces that seeks to destabilise the liberation movements will not succeed. As the ANC we are confident of an outright electoral victory because the people who will defend the movement are the motive forces and beneficiaries for change, the masses of our people. We are confident that our transformation agenda speaks louder than the cheap propaganda that seek to derail the political hegemony of the FLMs.

The meeting of the FLMs expressed solidarity with the various members contesting elections this year, including the ANC and SWAPO Party.

As the ANC takes over the chairmanship of this important liberation platform, we would like to express our gratitude at ZANU PF for steering the FLM ship during the most trying times of the COVID pandemic. Our resolve must always be unity of purpose and evident to this was some tangible strides having been attained such as the consolidation of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania.

The various national party-political schools such as the OR Tambo Political School, will continue to play crucial role to imbue leaders with the skills requisite to advance and defend the revolution. The Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School remains the apex political school for all parties member to the FLM.

As the ANC we undertook to further enhance the institutional capacity of the FLM platform as resolved in the meeting, as we take over the chairmanship of this very important revolutionary platform.

Issued by Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, National Spokesperson, ANC, 20 March 2024